Mildew on rubber roof

[slim_steve]

I purchased a used 5th wheel in 2010. It has some milder spots on the rubber roof. I have thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed the roof every year with rubber roof cleaner but the spots get worse every year. They are really bad now. I have even tried Clorox and water with no improvement. Does anyone have a good way to get rid of mildew without replacing the roof? We live in it six months a year and keep it covered the other six months.

[MM49]

slim steve wrote:
I purchased a used 5th wheel in 2010. It has some milder spots on the rubber roof. I have thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed the roof every year with rubber roof cleaner but the spots get worse every year. They are really bad now. I have even tried Clorox and water with no improvement. Does anyone have a good way to get rid of mildew without replacing the roof? We live in it six months a year and keep it covered the other six months.

To remove mildew spots scrub the roof with a medium brush using a solution of:
1 cup Bleach
1 cup Dawn dishwashing liquid
3 - 5 gallons of water.

Procedure:
Wipe up excess cleaner with a towel and rinse with water.
Wash the trailer with normal RV wash soap.

Prefect Results

This procedure is supported by the roof membrane manufactures.
MM49

[bpounds]

Itching2go wrote:

rjsurfer wrote:

Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
Are you sure its mildew? The white is only the cover for the black rubber material underneath. As the white material wears off and exposes the black rubber it can look like mildew. If it looks worse after cleaning it may be that you are stripping off the white material.

+1

Ron

+2

There have been lots of threads on the subject of scrubbing down rubber RV roofs over the past couple of years, but the only possible benefit I've heard yet is that it might help to avoid black streaking from rain flowing down the side of the rig. Heck, I've had a rubber roof on our family room for 20+ years, and never considered washing it. Why would I do it on my fiver? Again, there may be good reasons, but I haven't heard one yet that makes sense to me.

+3

I think you are washing away the white outer coating with all that scrubbing. If it was mildew, the bleach would take it off fast. If the bleach doesn't remove it, then I think you are seeing the natural black color of the rubber roof. If the black DOES come off, and then comes back in a few months, then I am wrong about this and I would start leaving the cover off during storage. Mildew can't survive in sunlight.

I'm in the no-roof-washing camp. I think you are just washing away good roof material every time you wash it.

[MPI_Mallard]

I understand that mildew isn't a problem and we should treat our rubber roofs like our ears and not to put anything smaller than our elbow in them! With that said I got up the and scrubbed because I don't like the way it looks but after looking closly at my roof a couple of weeks ago and seeing fine lines in it I opted to re-coat my roof, looks nice n' new now!

Red Green:
Spare the Duct Tape, Spoil the job.

[bigmichael]

B.O. Plenty wrote:
If it is mildew..what does it hurt ?? Just asking..

B.O.

I was very curious about this question also.

[Dave_H_M]

Those spots never have bothered me in all the years of camping.

Besides that I am with the crowd that does nothing to the roof but keep an eye on it, especially the caulking.

Why mess around up there?

[rattleNsmoke]

The reason I wash down the roof twice a year is to check the rubber for tears, scuffs and other possible abrasions that would be hidden by gunk. Other than that, I HATE climbing the ladder, hauling up a bucket and brush and walking on a wet, slippery fiver roof.

[Itching2go]

rjsurfer wrote:

Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
Are you sure its mildew? The white is only the cover for the black rubber material underneath. As the white material wears off and exposes the black rubber it can look like mildew. If it looks worse after cleaning it may be that you are stripping off the white material.

+1

Ron

+2

There have been lots of threads on the subject of scrubbing down rubber RV roofs over the past couple of years, but the only possible benefit I've heard yet is that it might help to avoid black streaking from rain flowing down the side of the rig. Heck, I've had a rubber roof on our family room for 20+ years, and never considered washing it. Why would I do it on my fiver? Again, there may be good reasons, but I haven't heard one yet that makes sense to me.

[B_O__Plenty]

If it is mildew..what does it hurt ?? Just asking..

B.O.

[rjsurfer]

Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
Are you sure its mildew? The white is only the cover for the black rubber material underneath. As the white material wears off and exposes the black rubber it can look like mildew. If it looks worse after cleaning it may be that you are stripping off the white material.

+1

Ron

[1492]

Moved from Forum Technical Support

[Fresno_Tundra_D]

Are you sure its mildew? The white is only the cover for the black rubber material underneath. As the white material wears off and exposes the black rubber it can look like mildew. If it looks worse after cleaning it may be that you are stripping off the white material.

[donn0128]

Depending on brand your cover might be the culprit. If your referring to the small dark spots on the roof? Dont worry about them. They are jothing to be concerned about. According to some in the roofing industry you shoule do nothing to the roofing material. In commercial applications it is left alone for 20+ years with no problems.